Blowpipe igniting apparatus



Jan. 17, 1939. v L. w. YOUNG 2,144,238

BLOWPIPE IGNITING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 19, 1934 INVENTOR 59 LLOYD wxouua BY 2 i ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 1,144.23: BLOWPIPE romrmc} APPARATUS Lloyd W. Young, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Application October 19, 1934, Serial No. 749,051

12 Claims.

With such an arrangement it has been found that if the operator allows contact to be made between the terminals for any appreciable period of time,

i as by laying the blowpipe down upon the work, 15 the short circuit thus produced may damage the source of electromotive force which is used. Thus,

a transformer may be overheated or a battery discharged. It has accordingly been found desirable to complete the electric circuit through the blowpipe tip only for a short interval of time during which ignition is to be effected, and to break the circuit at other times. It is also highly 85 circuit while the gas valve is being opened. Other objects will be apparent from the following speciflcation.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which:

40 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a blowpipe embodying the invention, the electric circuit and a work piece being shown in semi-diagrammatic form;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental section taken longitudinally of the blowpipe, showing the im- 45 proved igniting apparatus and gas valve control lever;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 111-111 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal mid-section through the switch illustrated in Fig. 3;

'0 Fig. 5 is a broken elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a variant form; and

Fig 6 is a similar elevation illustrating another variant form.

According to the present invention, the blowlo pipe is equipped with a gas control lever pivoted thereto, which lever carries a push switchhaving one side thereof electrically connected to the blowpipe and the other side thereof connected to a conductor insulated from the blowpipe. Operation of the gas control lever automatically 5 operates the push switch. A second lever may be pivoted to the gas control lever in such a way that motion of the gas control lever will cause the second lever to operate the push switch and to pass out of contact with the switch almost im- 10 mediately.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that they show a blowpipe ill, comprising a handle II, a stem l2, and a tip l3, and having the usual valve block it attached to the rear of 16 the handle. The blowpipe may be either a cutting or deseaming blowpipe as illustrated in Fig. 1, or a welding blowpipe as illustrated in Figs. 2 l and 6. It will be obvious that the invention is applicable to blowpipes generally. Adjustable Q0 shut-off valves l5 and I6 control the flow of oxygen and fuel gas to the blowpipe. A button B for controlling the cutting oxygen valve is shown in the cutting or deseaming blowpipe illustrated in Fig; 1.

The valve block it contains a valve assembly for controlling the rate of gas flow through the blowpipe. This valve assembly need not be described except to state that the valve or valves thereof are spring-closed and are opened by a 80 pull exerted upon their valve stems I1, and may be similar to those more fully disclosed in Patent No. 2,095,710 which issued on October 12, 1937, to J. W. Offutt and W. B. Hampton. A gas control lever I8 is pivoted as at 19 to the blowpipe i0 and a grip-shaft 20 thereof extends longitudinally of the blowpipe. An end 2| of the gas control lever l8 extends on the opposite side of the pivot is from the grip-shaft 20 and engages the valve stems ll. It will be understood therefore, that 40 if the operator grasps the handle ii of the blowpipe IO and closes his hand about the grip-shaft 20 of the lever iii, the resulting movement of the lever about the pivot I9 will cause the end 2| of r the lever to pull the valve stems l1 outwardly of the valve block ll, opening the valves forming the valve assembly contained therein. Release of the grip-shaft will permit the valves to close by reason of the spring action exerted within the valve block Id. The valves in the valve block l4 are gas saver valves, and are always opened fully when the grip-shaft 20 of the gas control lever i8 is lifted. The valves I5 and it are set to control the oxygen and fuel-gas flow through the blowpipe. Thus, the proportions of oxygen and conductor 25 is, of course, insulated from the fuel-gas required for a proper welding or heating flame are determined by the setting of the valves piece with a source of electromotive force, here shown as a battery 24, and a second conductor 26 connects the battery with the lever 13. The

blowpipe and the control lever.

' Means is provided for closing the circuit only when ignition of the gases is required, and for breaking the circuit when the blowpipe is not in operation or after the blowpipe has been ignited. To this end the lever l3 carries a push switch which is normally open, which is closed as the lever is operated to open the gas control valve or valves, and which is opened again when the valves are opened or closed. Thus, the push switch is closed and opened again with each complete movement of the lever I 3. One side of the push switch is electrically connected to the blowpipe and the other side to the conductor 26.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a push switch 26 is carried by the control lever ID. The push switch 26 is enclosed in two bushings (see Fig. 4), one a metal bushing 21 which is fitted in an opening 28 in the lever, extending inwardly thereof. The metal bushing is welded, soldered or otherwise attached to the lever by means of an external end flange 29. The metal bushing 21 is internally threaded to receive an externally threaded end 36 of a second bushing 31 of insulating material.

The bushing 3| of insulating material has an axial bore therethrough which is internally threaded, and a stationary contact member 32 is carried by an adjustable screw member 33 which may be turned to advance or'retract the stationary contact member 32 within the bushing 3|. The insulated conductor 26 enters the bushing 3| substantially at right angles to the axial bore therein, and a clamping screw 34 secures the bare end of the conductor against the head of the adJustable screw- 33, thus, completing the electric circuit from the battery 24 to the stationarycontact member 32.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the stationary contact member 32 is completely in-,- sulated from the metal bushing 21 and from the control lever l6, and also that the position of the stationary contact member may be adjusted axially of the bushing 3|. Obviously the details of this construction may be varied to secure the same result.

The metal bushing 21 has an axial opening 35 therein at the end opposite the external flange 29. A plunger 36 is disposed in the metal bushing 21 and has a rounded end 31 projecting through the opening 36. An annular flange 33 is formed on the plunger 36 surrounding the rounded end 31 and bearing upon the internal face of the bushing 21 surrounding the opening 36, thereby preventing the plunger from moving out of the bushing. The plunger 38 also has a hollow shaft 39, in axial alignment with the rounded end 31 and the annular flange 33, extending away from the rounded end and toward the stationary contact member 32. The open end of the hollow shaft 39 is spun or otherwise a,144,asa

turned inwardly for a purpose which will become apparent.

A helical spring 49 is disposed within the metal bushing 21 between the inner face of the annular flange 33 and the inner end of the externally threaded end 30 of the bushing 3|, thereby holding the plunger 36 yieldably in position with its rounded end projecting through the axial opening 36 and beyond its end. A movable contact member 4| is carried by the plunger 36 and has a contact point 42 which extends through the opening in the hollow shaft 39 about which the end thereof is spun. The movable contact member 4| is enlarged beyond the contact point 42 so that it normally bears upon the inner face of the spun end of the hollow shaft 39, and a shank 43 extends axially through the hollow shaft 39 toward the rounded end 31, fitting slidably into a cylindrical recess therein. A helical spring 44 surrounds the shank 43 and tends to maintain the movable contact member in extended position with the contact point 42 as far from the rounded end 31 as is possible.

Thus, pressure upon the rounded end 31 is yieldably opposed by the action of the helical spring 40 and pressure upon the movable contact point 42 is yieldably opposed by the helical spring 44 It will be appreciated, also that the movable contact is in electrical circuit when the lever I 8 and the blowpipe because of the electric connection between its metal parts and the metal bushing 21, which is in turn in contact with the lever 13 I The push switch which has just been described is operated, in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, by means of a second lever 45 pivoted as at 46 to the lever 16 and having an arm 41 thereof in contact with the blowpipe. The other arm 46 of the second lever 45 extends adjacent the rounded end 31 of the movable contact assembly and has a roller 49 journaled thereon for rolling contact with the rounded end 31. A spring 60 bent around the pivot 46 of the second lever 45 has one end in contact with the arm 41 of the second lever and the other end in contact with the first named lever 18, and operates to maintain the arm 41 against the blowpipe and the arm 46 carrying the roller 49 away from the rounded end 31. When the grip-shaft 20 of the lever I8 is drawn toward the blowpipe handle, the end 41 of the second lever 45 is moved toward the gripshaft, thereby moving the arm 48 past the rounded end 31 of the push switch 26. This causes the roller 49 to roll over the rounded end 31, depressing the movable contact assembly and causing electrical connection between the movable contact 42 and the stationary contact 32. As the roller 49 passes beyond the rounded end 31, the helical spring 40 returns the movable contact assembly to its original position thereby breaking the electrical connection. The helical spring 44 provides flexibility between the rounded end 31 and the movable contact point 42, so that the contacts may always make perfect electrical connection, yet no lateral strain need ever result to the second lever 45 or its pivot 46 as the roller 49 passes over the rounded end 31.

11', therefore, the blowpipe tip 13 is rubbed along the work piece 22, the lever 18 is operated, and the gases are caused to issue from the tip, the electrical contact caused by movement of the lever ill will cause a spark between the blowpipe tip l3 and the work piece, which will light the gases. This spark will exist only momentarily because oi the short period of contact as already described, and damage to the source of electromotive force or unnecessary use of curleased and the blowpipe gases are shut oil, contact is again made in the push switch but this is of no importance since there is no gas flowing through the blowpipe to be ignited.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, no second lever is employed but a simple push switch "a is attached to the lever I8, and makes contact with the blowpipe when the valve or valves opened. A leaf spring arrangement, or brush, in the push switch 26a causes contact to be broken when the plunger is fully depressed (in wellknown manner), so the flow of current through the blowpipe is disrupted when the valves are fully open.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 6, the push swith is mounted on the blowpipe handle H, instead of on the lever it, but otherwise the operation is the same.

The examples here illustrated and described are presented merely to indicate how the invention may be applied. Other constructions following the principles of the invention but differing in detail from the forms here described will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

I claim;

1. A blowpipe igniting apparatus comprising a lever pivoted to the blowpipe, a push switch carried by said lever and an electric conductor insulated fromthe blowpipe, said switch having one side thereof electrically connected to the blowpipe and the other side thereof connected to said conductor.

2. A blowpipe igniting apparatus comprising a gas control lever pivoted to the blowpipe, a push switch carried by said lever and operable by movement of said lever, and a conductor insulated from the blowpipe, said push switch having one side thereof electrically connected to the blowpipe and the other side thereof connected to said conductor. r

3. A blowpipe igniting apparatus comprising a gas control lever pivoted to the blowpipe, a movable electric contact member carried by said lever, and a second lever for actuating said member. said second lever being pivoted to said first named lever.

4. A blowpipe igniting apparatus comprising a gas control-lever pivoted to the blowpipe, a movable electric contact member carried by said lever, and a second lever for actuating said member, said second lever being pivoted to and actuated by said first named lever, and having an arm thereof in contact with the blowpipe.

5. A blowpipe igniting apparatus comprising a gas control lever pivoted to the blowpipe, a movable electric contact member carried by said lever, said member having a rounded projecting end, and a second lever pivoted to said iirstnamed lever, said second lever having one arm thereof in contact with the blowpipe, the other arm oisaid second lever being disposed adjacent the rounded end of said contact member and having a roller journaled thereon for rolling contact with the rounded end of said member for actuating the same.

6. A blowpipe igniting apparatus comprising a gas control lever pivoted to the blowpipe, a movable electric contact member carried by said lever, said member having a rounded projecting end, a spring holding said member away from its coacting contact point, a second lever pivoted to said first-named lever, and a spring acting against said first-named lever and one arm of said second lever to hold said second lever in inoperative position, said second lever having one arm thereof in contact with the blowpipe, the other arm or said second lever being disposed adjacent the rounded end of said contact membcr and having a roller journaled thereon for rolling contact with the rounded end of said member foractuating the same.

7. An igniting circuit comprising a blowpipe having a handle; a valve operating lever and a push switch for closing said circuit, both carried by the handle; in combination with a second lever pivoted to said first-named lever and disposed vin operative relation to said push switch for operating the same.

8. An igniting circuit comprising a blowpipe having a handle, a valve operating lever pivoted to the handle, and a push switch for closing said circuit also carried by the handle, in combination with a second lever pivoted to said first-named lever and disposed in operative relation to said push switch for operating the same.

9. An igniting circuit comprising a blowpipe having a handle, a valve operating lever pivoted to the handle, and a push switch for closing said circuit carried by said lever, in combinationwith a second lever for operating said push switch, said second lever being pivoted to said firstnamed lever and disposed in operative relation to said switch and having an arm in contact with the handle.

10. In a blowpipe igniting apparatus, a movable electric contact member having a rounded end, an electric terminal, a spring holding said member out of contact with said terminal, and a lever constructed and arranged for sliding engagement with the roundedend of said member for moving said member against the action of said spring into contact with said terminal.

11. For use in igniting a blowpipe, a gas control lever, a push switch carried by said lever, and a second lever pivoted to said gas control lever for operating said switch.

12. An igniting circuit comprising a blowpipe having a handle, a push switch carried by the handle, said push switch having a rounded end on one member thereof, a lever carried by the handle, and a roller iournaled' on one arm of said lever tor roiling contact with the rounded end of said switch to operate said switch.

LLOYD W. YOUNG. 

